


The Bear and the Bunny-Rabbit

by raiyana



Series: Modern Middle-Earth [2]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Childhood Friends, First Meetings, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 15:53:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14751839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raiyana/pseuds/raiyana
Summary: A sort-of prequel to AIT; the first meeting of Erestor and Celebrían.





	The Bear and the Bunny-Rabbit

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Young Erestor](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/383507) by AndiiErestor. 



Peeking out from behind Ammë’s legs as she picked plums, Erestor studied the new neighbours. The tall lady with pale gold hair was very pretty, laughing at something her husband said, lugging boxes into the house. On the front lawn was a small girl, playing with a fluffy bunny toy. Tugging on Ammë’s dress, Erestor pointed silently at the little girl.

“Do you want to go say hello?” Ammë asked, bending down to hug him. Erestor nodded, holding up his old bear. "Morco can come too."

“Bring over a basket of plums, Winga – uhm, we-we should be neighbourly…” Atto said, pushing his glasses up his nose and trailing off as his eyes returned to his book. The book was boring, Erestor thought, no pictures, not even on the front of it, but Atto liked it. Ammë laughed, taking Erestor’s hand and dropping a kiss on Atto’s head in passing, the large bowl of plums resting on her hip.

“Tear yourself away from the books for a moment to introduce yourself then, love,” she smiled, handing over the bowl and walking into the house.

“But this is the best part!” Atto exclaimed, though he put the book down, picking Erestor up with his free arm. “Your Ammë has no appreciation for the literary classics, son,” he whispered conspiratorially, “but we’d better smarten up, aye?”

“Good thing I have an appreciation for literary _Professors_ , then, no?” Ammë threw back over her shoulder, laughing when Atto put the bowl on the counter and tugged her in for a kiss. “And smart-looking men,” she added, returning his kiss. “But you’re right – you’ve got ink on your nose – _again_ – darling.” Kissing Erestor’s cheek, too, she hugged them both, pulling out a small basket.

“You’d think that I was capable of writing without getting ink all over myself after so long in academia, wouldn’t you, Erestor,” Atto muttered, walking to the bathroom. “Alas, poor Emery.” Tickling Erestor to make him laugh, Atto put him down, splashing water on his face. Erestor helpfully reached for the soap, clambering onto his small stool to wash his hands – and his face, even though no ink darkened his nose. Atto chuckled, handing him a towel. “You’re growing up fast, my boy. Well then, let’s go meet these new neighbours, shall we?”

 

* * *

 

 

The boy was staring, clutching a stuffed bear with a blue ribbon tied around his neck in one hand and his father’s hand in the other. Celebrían held up her rabbit – Ammë had given her a new moving-house ribbon just this morning to make sure Rondo didn’t get scared by moving to a new place; it had her new address on it and everything – and the boy made his bear wave back. Tugging on his father’s hand, he walked over, tilting his head as he looked at her. Celebrían smiled.

“Ahh, Bría-baby, this is Erestor,” Ada said, “he lives next door to us.” Celebrían nodded, hugging her bunny. “And this is our daughter, Celebrían. Say hello, dear.”

“Hello… Er-sto.”

The boy smiled shyly. Sitting down, he held up his bear, though it took him a while to speak. “Morco.”

“This is Rondo,” Celebrían informed him, “my rabbit.” Esto reached out to touch the purple ribbon, pointing at the letters. Celebrían grinned.

 

* * *

 

 

Looking at her son, Winganis Cummings smiled, squeezing her husband’s hand. Erestor was shy, they’d learned, and did not particularly like speaking, especially to strangers, but the little girl was simply rambling on regardless. Leaning into Emery’s hold, she watched the two children, sharing a smile with… Galadriel, that was her name… at the way Celebrían created a story about her rabbit, drawing Morco into the tale and babbling enough for both of them.

“He will be fine, Winga,” Emery murmured, kissing her temple.

“Would you like to come in for coffee?” Celeborn offered genially. “I mean, I _think_ we’ve unpacked the coffee-maker… haven’t we, dearest?”

“Of course, I have, darling,” Galadriel laughed, “the children seem to be becoming fast friends – that’s nice; I was worried Bría would get lonely… we didn’t see many children here when the realtor’s showed us around.”

“I’d love a cup!” Emery replied, following the short stocky blonde into the house, still resembling a mid-day jumble sale more than a home, but already full of some indefinable air of love and family that made Winga smile, accepting one of her own plums to go with the coffee and some heavenly biscotti.

 

* * *

 

 

“Time to go, little love,” Ammë called, interrupting the game. Erestor pouted at her, but got to his feet, picking up Morco and waving at Bría. “You can come back tomorrow to play, Erestor, but it’s nearly dinnertime.”

“Wait!” Bría called, catching his hand and making Erestor stop. Ammë smiled at him. “You have to hug goodbye!”

“Hug?” Erestor asked, looking at her. Ammë and Atto hugged and kissed _him_ goodbye, but maybe Bría’s family was different?

He hugged her back.

“Bye, Esto!” Bría said, holding up her bunny. “Now Rondo!”

Erestor accepted the bunny, hugging it tightly and gave her a small smile. Bría smiled happily, hugging Morco, too, before accepting back her toy and darting back to her Ammë, waving.

Erestor held Ammë’s hand and Morco’s paw in the same hand so he could wave back at her, laughing to himself.

“Tomorrow.”

 

“My name Esto now, Bría says,” he informed Ammë later, when she had tucked him into bed and sung his favourite lullaby. He yawned. “Can we play tomorrow?”

“Of course, you can, sweetling,” Ammë promised, kissing his forehead. Erestor smiled.

 

 

_It was the beginning of a great friendship…_

_Bría always hugged him goodbye. Erestor always hugged her back._


End file.
